Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Upington Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Upington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,006 in Upington, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,833 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,576 in Upington, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,466 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,146 in Upington, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 19% more than Upington, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tbilisi and Upington are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Upington 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 ₾29.20

$11.14 R 183

-2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.33 ₾117

$34.12 R 562

26.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 ₾22.19

$4.73 R 77.9

74.42%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ₾8.33

$1.56 R 25.63

98.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.15

$0.98 R 16.17

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.24

$0.67 R 11.02

-31.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.81

$1.54 R 25.40

40.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₾7.92

$2.58 R 42.52

13.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.19

$0.88 R 14.49

119.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.11 R 18.22

-39.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.91

$1.59 R 26.17

14.47%

Eggs

$2.56 ₾6.88

$2.41 R 39.71

6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 ₾20.48

$7.52 R 124

1.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 ₾17.50

$4.51 R 74.3

44.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 ₾26.00

$6.88 R 113

40.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.12

$1.59 R 26.24

-27.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.36

$1.46 R 23.97

10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾5.04

$1.47 R 24.26

27.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.26

$1.59 R 26.11

46.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.75

$1.33 R 21.89

-51.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₾1.70

$1.23 R 20.28

-48.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.17

$1.05 R 17.27

12.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.90

$0.90 R 14.76

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ₾8.17

$2.50 R 41.13

21.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 ₾19.56

$3.76 R 61.9

93.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.27

$1.39 R 22.85

14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₾6.18

$1.69 R 27.88

36.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.96

$1.61 R 26.50

-77.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.68 ₾39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾4.03

$1.14 R 18.85

31.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.87

$0.93 R 15.34

-24.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 ₾19.78

$3.96 R 65.2

85.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₾3.05

$1.24 R 20.37

-8.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.2K ₾49.0K

$21.2K R 349.1K

-13.97%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.2K ₾54.5K

$23.7K R 390.5K

-14.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$74.0 ₾199

$120 R 1,983

-38.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.87 ₾31.93

$35.74 R 589

-66.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.55 ₾47.20

$40.99 R 675

-57.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾162

$31.12 R 513

93.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.69 ₾44.89

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₾18.10

$6.74 R 111

-0.15%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$261 ₾703

$201 R 3,303

30.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,146 ₾13.8K

$4,263 R 70.2K

20.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 ₾209

$50.0 R 824

55.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾117

$31.69 R 522

37.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾318

$87.7 R 1,445

34.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾298

$78.4 R 1,292

41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₾1,891

$365 R 6,014

92.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₾1,231

$331 R 5,452

38.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₾3,621

$561 R 9,248

139.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₾2,120

$699 R 11.5K

12.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₾6,885

$751 R 12.4K

241.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 ₾3,881

$688 R 11.3K

109.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 ₾1,742

$779 R 12.8K

-16.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.38

4.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: April 21, 2026

Last update for Upington: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $703 in Tbilisi versus $365 in Upington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Upington, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Tbilisi versus $34 in Upington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $171 – making Upington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tbilisi vs Upington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,199 in Tbilisi, $1,006 in Upington – roughly 19% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,799 per month in Tbilisi and $1,510 in Upington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upington, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $34.00 in Upington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Upington, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Tbilisi at $1,199. In Upington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,006 in Upington to $1,199 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Upington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.